Automatic block system



(No Model.)

J. SHOEGRAPTV.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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Llfziw uuu u u u u u'u u ANDREW EGHAHANL PHOTO-1N0. WASHIN GTDN D C INVENTOH A TTOHN E Y8.

3 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

J.SHOB ORAPT AUTOMATIC BLOCK SYSTEM.

Patented June 16; 1896' INVENTOR (No Model.)- v a Sheets-Sheet 3. J. SHOEORAPT. AUTOMATIC BLOCK SYSTEM.

Patented June 16, 1896.

W/T/VESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUDSON SI-IOEORAFT, OF HARVEYFILLE,KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE \VESTERN RAILVAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

AUTOMATIC BLOCK SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 562,253, dated June 16, 1896.

Application filed August 8, 1 8 9 6.

.To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, J UDSON SHoEcRAFr, of llarveyville, in the county of Wabaunsee and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Block System, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to automatic block systems, such as are shown and described in the application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 543,389, filed by me on March 27, 1895, and allowed on May 4, 1895.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved automatic block system, arranged to prevent both front and rear collisions on railroads, and constructed to set the signal at danger should the mechanism accidentally get out of order.

The invention consists principally of a signal-station at each end of the block-section, a closed electric circuit adapted to be opened by a device carried on the train entering the section, and a battery and signal-magnets in the circuit at each end station.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan View of the improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear elevation of the motor with the casing in section. Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 4: 40f Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is asectional plan view of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the circuit-closing device.

The device as illustrated in Fig. l is arranged on a section A of the railroad, and

near one of the rails on one end of the section is arranged a circuit-closing device 13, and a similar device B is arranged at the other end of the section, but on the opposite side oft-he track from that on which the device 13 is located. The circuit-closing devices B and B are adapted to be opened by wheels 0 and C B, so that the circuit is opened.

Serial No. 558,668. (No model.)

or other mechanism arranged on the locomotive D, so that when the latter passes upon the section and travels in the direction of the arrow 0, then the wheel 0 in passing over the circuit-closing device B actuates the latter' and opens the circuit, as hereinafter more fully described. In a like manner when the locomotive D leaves the section the other wheel 0 actuates the circuit-closing device B to open the circuit. If the locomotive comes in the inverse direction of the arrow to to the section A, the wheel 0 actuates the circuit-closing mechanism B to open the latter, and when leaving the section the wheel 0 actuates the other device B to again open the circuit.

The circuit-closing devices B and B are alike in construction, and each is provided with a plate 13 on which is fulcrumed a spring-pressed lever B curved as shown in Fig. 6, and adapted to be engaged by the tread of an extra or friction wheel passing over, to press the lever downward, and to disengage the free end from the contact-point The contact-point B of the circuit-closing device B is connected by a wire E with an electroma net F at the station G, and a similar wire E connects with the plate 13 of the circuit-closing device B, to connect with an electromagnet F at the other station G. The plate 15 of the device 13 is connected bya Wire E with the contact-point B of the other device B, as is plainly shown in Fig. 1. An electromagnet F is connected by a wire E with one pole of a battery H, connected at its other pole with the ground. The electromagnet F is connected by a wire E with the ground, or, if necessary, with a battery likewise connected with the ground.

The devices at each signal-station G and G for operating the signals proper are alike in construction, and hence it suffices to describe but one of them. Each electromagnet F and F is provided with an armature F held on a lever F (see Figs. 4 and 5,) havingits pivot F journaled in suitable bearings in a frame I, carrying a spring-motor J of any approved construction. The arm F of the lever F is provided at its free end with a lug F adapted to engage one of four recesses A formed in the periphery of a wheel K and placed equidistant apart, as is plainly shown in Fig. 4. This wheel K is secured on a shaft K journaled in suitable bearings in the casing I, and driven by suitable gear-wheels on the spring-motor J. a

on the rear end of the shaft K is secured a beveled gear-wheel K in mesh with a beveled gear-wheel L, secured on a verticallydisposed sem aphore-shaft L,j ournaled in suitable hearings on the frame I and extending a suitable distance above the casing I, inelosing the device above mentioned. On the upper end of the semaphore-shaft L is arranged a diametricallyextending leaf L which, when standing in alinement with the track-rails, indicates safety, and when standing at right angles to the track indicates dan er. semaphore-shaft L is secured a night-signal L showing on One face a red light and on the other face agreen light, to indicate the safety and danger positions of thesignal.

From the pivot F of the lever F extends forwardly a second arm F adapted to engage with its free end a lug N, formed or secured on the face of a'ge'ar-wheel N, driven from the motor J, and making sixteen revolutions to one-'quarterof a revolution of the wheel K. a This arm F is in engagement with the lug N as long as the circuit is closed'and the armature-lever F is attracted by its magnet F or F; but when the circuit is broken and the lever F swings upward by the action of the weighted arm F of the said lever, then the arm F swings out of engagement with the lugN, and the gear-wheel N is free to rotate and is now driven from the spring-motor J. The wind wheel or fan P of the springmotor J is mounted 'to rotate loosely in one directionon ashaft-P, provided with a pinion P in mesh with the gear-wheel N; and on thefrim 1 0f this pinion P 'is formed a tooth or shoulder P adapted to be engaged by a spring-pawl P held on the fan-wheel P.

Now it will be seen that when the wheel N isreleas'ed and rotates as abovedescribed, it drives the pinion P and the shaft P, andby the shoulder on the rim P engaging the pawl P it carries around the fan-wheel P; but when the circuit isagain closed and the armature-lever F is attracted by its magnetF or F, then the arm F swings downward in the path of the lug N, to be finally engaged by the latter and stopped, while the fan-wheel Pis still free to rotate in the direction of the arrow (4, owing to the spring-pawl P pas'sing over the shoulder, and the fan-wheel rotates freely on the shaft P until its momentum is spent. By this arrangement all jars or jerks of the working parts in the motor are prevented.

Itwill be understood that the jarring is not caused by the sudden stopping of the motor-gearing, as the gearing moves at a comparatively slow rate of speed, but such jar is On the extreme upper end of the usually caused by the sudden stoppage of the fan-wheel which revolves at a very high rate of speed.

On the semaphore-shaft L is arranged a lug L adapted to be engaged by a lever O, fulcrumed on the frame I, (see Figs. 3 and 5,) and provided at its rear end with an extension 0, reaching over the spring J of the motor, so that when the latter is nearly run down, the extension 0 is lifted by the outermost coil of the spring, and the swinging motion thus given to the lever 0 brings the free end thereof in the path of the lug L ,so that the latter finally abuts against this lever O and a further rotation of the semaphore-shaft L is prevented. Thusif any of the parts of the motor should break or the circuit should be accidentally opened by the wires breaking or by other causes, then the spring J of the motor '.I will run down and thesenl'apliore-shaft L will turn continually until finally the lever O is actuated by the spring to engage the lug L and stop the rotation of the semaphore-shaftLat the time the leaf L is in a danger position.

It is understood that normally the circuits in both devices B and B are closed by the spring-pressed levers B but when a locomotive passes upon the section, the circuit is opened by the friction-wheel on locomotive actuating the levers B In opening the circuit for both stations G and G", the respective armature-levers F for the magnets F and F is released, and the lever F? swings upward to release the wheels N and K, and to permit the latter to make a quarterievolution that is, to turn the semaphore-leaves L into a danger position. When the train leaves the section, then the device 13 or B of the station G or G is actuated, so as to again open the circuits, to cause a further quarterrevolution of the wheel K, and again move the semaphore-leaves L out of the danger position into the safety position.

It will be seen that by thearrangement described, the section A is closed or blocked at both ends-so that an approaching train from either direction will be warned that the section isalready'occupied by a train; but when the section is clear of trains, both semaphore leaves L stand in a safety position and a second train can enter from either end of the section; but as soon as this train does so, it sets bot-l1 signals, automatically, tothe clanger position.

Having thus fully described inyinvcntion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An automatic block-signal system for railroads, comprising a signal-station at each end of the block-section, a normally-closed electric circuit consisting of a single line and ground circuit, a battery in the circuit, electromagnets in said circuit and located at each signal-station circuit'opening devices at each station and adapted to be operated to open the circuit by a device carried by a locomo tive, a motor at each station, a releasing and locking device for the motor comprising two arms adapted to engage with separate wheels of the motor and controlled by the armature of the electromagnets, means for stopping the signal-shaft at danger, when the motor is nearly run down, and signals at each station operated by the motors, substantially as specified.

2. An automatic block system for railroads, provided with a motor, a stoppingwheel driven from the said motor and provided with a lug adapted to engage the armature-lever, a wind-wheel shaft driven from the said stop-wheel and carryinga wind-wheel connected by a pawl and ratchet with the wind-wheel shaft, substantially as shown and described.

3. An automatic block system for railroads, provided with a signal-shaft adapted to be, revolved, a stopping-lever for the said shaft, and a spring-motor adapted to engage when expanded the said lever when the motor is nearly run down, to stop the signal-shaft at the danger position, substantially as shown and described.

JUDSON SHOECRAFT.

Witnesses:

E. E. MITCHELL, JOHN H. SMALE. 

